One of my favorite magazines right now is Bella and Grace, and in their spring 2018 issue, they had an article about Happiness Boxes. A Happiness box is a box of things that are meaningful to you, things you could pull out when you're feeling down that would lift your spirits. This got my gears turning.

A "true blue stuck like glue" friend was coming to town from OH for her birthday and we were going to spend a weekend in Wilmington. I wanted to do something extra special for her birthday and this seemed like just the thing. I knew I had the perfect box for this, a soft easter green box that I'd brought back from Paris in the summer of 2016 filled with macarons from Laduree. It's a beautiful box and I've been saving it for something special. I knew this was it!

First) I started by flipping through magazines looking for sayings that reminded me of her or that I thought would inspire her and then I collaged them all over the box.

Second) I scoured my favorite local shops for special things I thought she'd really like and would find super special, a rose quartz roller to put on moisturizer from Emerge Skin Therapy. A Box of sayings, some charms, a tidbit from home state apparel to remind her where home truly is from Just Be. Lip balm, bubble bath, chocolate, a journal, a candle, a few patches with cool sayings I'd picked up at Design Archives Emporium, washi tape and 100 blessings.

Third) I carefully laid down tissue paper and then placed everything in the box as nicely as I could and folded the tissue paper over it and put the lid on.

I wanted to create something super special just for her, and the bonus was that making this box was a hugely creative process for me. I wonder if making the box brought me more joy than she got receiving it. I think I'll be making more of these, I can picture ones for myself and others, each with a different theme.

“Always listen to your inner voice, your guides. This voice is with us from birth and women, especially, from an early age, are shamed into not listening. The patriarchy has labeled it ‘women’s intuition’ in an attempt to belittle it so we deny this powerful voice coming to us from the Universe, from whatever word you use for God.”

This is a reminder that when you’re doing what you’re meant to do doors open, opportunities present themselves if you’re willing to do the needed work to walk through the doors that are opened. I couldn’t have dreamed up a more fitting and complimentary side hustle.

“I'm the first in my family to do a lot of things so I have to keep pushing no matter what because its necessary that I pave the way to success for my family. But, perhaps my biggest source of fuel is my mom. I've seen her overcome so many obstacles in her life in pursuit of her dreams.”

Today honestly is going to be a challenge for me personally. I normally don't spend Thanksgiving with family (even though I love them) often it's easier for me to love them from afar. My family includes arguments, drama, and the grit of life and often when with family I feel like I’m the very worst version of myself.

“Please stop flat-ironing your hair. You are beautiful as you are. I cannot express to you how skinny you are right now, nor how little that matters. Your dad loves you. So does your mom. They show this to you by creating opportunities for you, keeping you safe, and reminding you that you can do anything. Thank them more often.”